creating taskbar apps in vb.net

D

Dill

Freshman
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
33
ok heres the thing...

I am wanting to modify my program to be able to display information in the taskbar. That is, I wish to make an app that acts like windows media player when minimised. All i need to display is a ready created custom control (basic tickertape style textbox).

I have searched for this solution on the net but can only find reference to the msdn site for deskbands which gives its example in c++. This example is asking for implementations i have never heard of and cannot find in vb.net.

I was wondering if anyone had managed to create such a taskbar app in vb.net and some pointers to how.

TY in advance

Dill
 
More info...

I have a couple of friends working on it but a question arose which i didn't think of... OS

It didnt even enter my small mind that it may not be possible when usin windows 2000 (my OS of choice) and only on XP (yuck!)

I suppose it would be nice to find out how to do it in XP anyway but ideally i need to be able to do it in 2000.

C'mon u guru's. I know ya got some tricks up ya sleeves :D

Dill
 
That looks like just the ticket! Ty. Wont be able to work on it for a while now (more important project to do), but I will keep you informed of its progress :D
 
Ok I just managed to get some time to look at this.

I have a couple of questions.

First I am trying to translate to VB as i go through it. This may not be wise but my VERY limited knowledge of c# makes it a better idea i think. the bit that puzzles me is this ...

Code: 
[BandObject("Hello World Bar",
BandObjectStyle.Horizontal | BandObjectStyle.ExplorerToolbar,
HelpText = "Shows bar that says hello.")]
public class HelloWorldBar : BandObject
{ ...

when i try to convert this to VB I get ...
Code: 
<BandObject("Hello World Bar", _
BandObjectStyle.Horizontal Or BandObjectStyle.ExplorerToolbar, _
HelpText = "Shows bar that says hello.")> _
Public Class HelloWorldBar
    Inherits BandObject
...

but this gives me an error on helptext saying its not declared.

Is my conversion correct?

If not what would be the correct way to implement this attribute?

Thanx

Dill
 
Well I now have a working taskbar application, many thanks mskeel.

To summarize...

The download from that site does all the funky stuff and the step by step instructions for creating your user control are real easy (especially if you don't try to translate it!) so i made a blank control for the taskbar.

I then created a normal custom control in vb.net with all the functionality i wanted on the taskbar.

compiled my dll, added it to the example, GAC'd it, REGASM'd it, and VOILA.

Many thanks again

Dill
 
Ok so maybe i was a little premature in my celebrations!!!

It works great with a standard text box. my dll tho 'seems' to work until i try to add it to the GAC. It tells me it doesnt have a strong name.

After reading the example again and inserting a line in the assembly info file i managed to give the taskbar app a strong name. But now it says my vb dll doesnt have a strong name. problem is I dont have a keyfile for it and have no idea where to get one (or create one). What do I need to do to get the taskbar program to accept my vb custom control?

Dill
 
IT WORKS!!

For real this time!!

fully tested.

Im not entirely sure exactly what was wrong. Think it may have been multiple things.

but once i made the keyfile for my control and added the assembly information (it still didnt work). I reregistered my vb dll and added it to the GAC too (I dont think this was necessary but wth).

gave it a really hot cup of tea (brownian motion producer) and it is now happily sat on my taskbar doing exactly what it says on the tin :D

Thanks to both mskeel and PD for your help :)

Dill
 
One more thing ;)

I need to make sure that my taskbar app is kicked off on startup. I have noticed that when I restart I have to select the taskbar app to start it running.

would this be registry? code?

Dill
 
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